Saudi Arabia accuses Houthis of targeting Mecca, calls it a 'red line'

Vehicles move along a main street in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca on September 16, 2026. © AFP

Saudi Arabia accused Yemen’s Houthis on Wednesday of launching an attack on the holy city of Mecca, which the Iran-backed rebels denied. Saudi Arabia, a US ally which has been the target of large-scale Houthi strikes since early September, declared Mecca a “red line” as it slid deeper into the new front of the Iran war.

Saudi Arabia accused Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels of trying to attack Islam’s holiest city, as the region responded with condemnation Wednesday but no sign of military support. The kingdom, a key US ally, declared Mecca a “red line” as slid deeper into the new front of the Iran war.